Staff Rating

User Rating

Armored Saint - Carpe Noctum (live)

There are like four good live albums in the history of the music business. That's not good because there are approximately three billion different live albums. Metal bands are responsible for what is safe to assume, two thirds of said live albums, which each band averaging one and a half per recording career. Again, like four of them are good. One of them is KISS - Alive!, the other three, I can't exactly be sure.

I own way too many live records. I know I've got more than one from Agnostic Front, Anthrax, Biohazard, Judas Priest, Rush, Opeth etc. I end up with them the same way I ended up volunteering to review this one from Armored Saint. I think "I like these guys, might as well check it out." Of course, pretty much right away I am reminded that a live album is usually just like listening to a shitty version of a greatest hits record that has way too many new songs on it. The vocals typically kind of suck, although John Bush sounds great here, the crowd sounds fake and everything else just blends together flatly.

This was supposed to live up to their 1989 live album Saints Will Conquer and I guess it did, but you could tell me it didn't and I wouldn't argue with you. I'm indifferent is what I am saying.

Armored Saint still rules, but this is by all means, a record you can bypass and not miss anything.